Last Supper

The icon "Last Supper" is a figurative, multi-layered composition depicting the Saviour's final meal with His apostles before the Crucifixion. The artwork was created in adherence to traditional iconography. Christ is depicted in the centre of the composition, with His disciples grouped around Him. The solemnity and sacredness of the scene are emphasized by the figures of the apostles, who form a continuous horizontal row. Compositionally, the Saviour is highlighted by His central positioning within the artwork's plane.
A significant place is afforded to a long table covered with a light tablecloth, featuring a concise still life. The perspective narrowing of the table directs the viewer's gaze directly towards Christ. Expressive elements include the figures of the disciples in the foreground, whose dynamic poses and movements contrast with the relative frontality of the other characters. The colour scheme is based on restrained warm tones dominated by ochre, red, and blue shades, while the gilded background enhances the sense of a celestial space. The colours of the garments serve not only a decorative function but also rhythmically distribute colour accents across the entire plane.
The artist has combined a canonical sacred narrative with a painterly, emotionally rich rendering of the figures. Poses, gestures, and the turns of heads create internal movement within the work. The event is perceived not as a frozen, static image, but as a moment of intense spiritual experience, in which each character responds to the Master's words in their own way. The traditional iconography of the gospel narrative is harmoniously combined here with an expressive treatment of characters, a warm palette, and a distinct compositional emphasis on the figure of the Saviour.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery